One of the challenges with traditional education settings is that you’re bound to the same place for nine or more months every year. Slow travel, or really learning about a culture or community is difficult, if not impossible. But the reality is that taking kids out of their comfort zones and letting them learn and live in other areas can teach them about kindness, purpose, building relationships, and so much more. When this week’s guest, Rekha Magon, tried to take her then kindergarten-age son ...
Mar 07, 2023•42 min•Ep. 152
A question we don’t ask enough is what we want from education. Of course we all want well-rounded young adults when they’re done with school, people who can become productive members of our society and who also have a healthy worldview. But our schools are not preparing our youth in this way. Students are graduating from high school with a narrow mindset because they haven’t experienced anything other than what’s in their community and the four walls of their classrooms. When the recession happe...
Feb 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 151
If you’ve ever traveled to another country, you know how exciting it is to learn about other cultures. But as adults, many of us don’t have the opportunity to spend an extended period of time overseas. What if we were able to do that traveling in high school, learning by being immersed in culture, rather than sitting in a classroom eight hours a day? That’s what this week’s guest, Joann McPike, wanted for her son. So she built it for him and invited other students along, too! THINK Global School...
Feb 21, 2023•41 min•Ep. 150
Imagine the two most difficult things that you could possibly go through happening simultaneously. Parenting a child, and the grief of losing a child. Now imagine parenting a surviving child after they lose their sibling. Surviving children need unique care to work through their grief, in the midst of the parent sitting in their own grief. And while there are many grief support groups out there, parents need help in working through the day-to-day trials and tribulations that happen as the surviv...
Feb 14, 2023•32 min•Ep. 149
Schools usually fail before someone steps up to try to diagnose what’s wrong and fix it. Meanwhile, hundreds and thousands of learners suffer through subpar educational practices that might meet the needs of a select few, but not the majority. When it comes to health, we know that prevention is the best medicine. We take care of our bodies so we can remain healthy for many years. But in our antiquated school systems, we sadly don’t take the same approach. And it’s our children who feel the brunt...
Feb 07, 2023•39 min•Ep. 148
Sometimes it takes time working and learning in a broken system to find the path to changing lives. After more than 25 years in education, John Camp (or Camp, as he prefers to be called) was on the lookout for something that was more student-centered and progressive at a school level than what he had experienced thus far. As founding head of teaching and learning at New England Innovation Academy, Camp and his colleagues are on a mission to prepare a new generation of innovators and entrepreneur...
Jan 31, 2023•35 min•Ep. 147
As parents, we want the best for our kids. When it comes to their education, there are so many options out there, it can feel overwhelming and sometimes impossible to find the best setting for them. What really are the differences between public, private, online, and homeschooling? What is an NPA? How can families find the resources they need to make these important decisions for their children? Today I’m joined by Carlos Melendez from Schola, and he lays it all out for us in a way that is easy ...
Jan 24, 2023•54 min•Ep. 146
Schools won’t change on their own, often needing a push from concerned educators, community members and, most importantly, parents. But too often parents don’t know how to get involved or how to speak out on behalf of their children. Thankfully there are tools and resources out there to help parents understand their rights (and the rights of their children) and learn how to talk to policymakers and educational leaders about ensuring their children get the education they deserve. One of those org...
Jan 17, 2023•30 min•Ep. 145
Online learning is no longer a novelty that’s all about checking boxes and “getting through the material.” Because of innovations in technology, there are so many possibilities to create truly engaging learning experiences and to foster a joy of learning for both students and teachers. This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Shaunak Roy, CEO of Yellowdig where they’re helping K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporations create truly experiential learning experiences and active le...
Jan 10, 2023•31 min•Ep. 144
We’re not supporting our youth in developing into well-rounded individuals, and one of the culprits is our educational system, which isn’t set up to inspire greatness. This is a challenge we can remedy. So why aren’t we? Especially when there are educational leaders, like Chris Menagé, who create systems and opportunities to do things differently. This week on the podcast, Chris is sharing the importance of developing human and social capital in a way that works for our youth. That means making ...
Jan 03, 2023•31 min•Ep. 143
Life is full of surprises, and not all of them are good. But sometimes the challenges we go through are the catalyst for changing our lives and inspiring others to do the same. That’s the case for Jon Acton, this week’s podcast guest. After a nearly 30-year career in education, Jon became a school superintendent in March 2020…just days before COVID hit and schools had to make a big left turn. Then a stage 3 cancer diagnosis changed the trajectory of everything for Jon. Jon and two fellow educato...
Dec 27, 2022•27 min•Ep. 142
There’s little worse than being told what you have to do, when you have to do it, and how. And especially when kids are involved, they’re pretty good at digging in their heels and refusing. Ask any parent or teacher! But we’re still telling kids what they have to learn, how they have to learn it, and when. We’re doing a disservice to them and, frankly, to the teachers who have to follow the prescribed curriculum. Thank goodness teachers like Tanya King exist. Teachers who are using data and prov...
Dec 20, 2022•30 min•Ep. 141
The whole point of this podcast is to help education evolve into something that better serves our children. We know that today’s model doesn’t work; let’s inspire some change! I love talking to leaders about how they’re making changes and helping to grow the inspiration to beyond their own immediate circle. This time of year, I like to take time to reflect, express gratitude, and look forward. And this week on the podcast, I’m sharing some of that with you. As leaders, we need to grow and evolve...
Dec 13, 2022•14 min•Ep. 140
Helping youth who have dropped out of high school is important, but what if we could prevent the dropouts altogether? That’s the idea behind Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), championed by this week’s podcast guest, Ken Smith. As the president and CEO of this 40-year-old non-profit organization, Ken is working to ensure that America’s most vulnerable youth succeed after high school and secure good jobs. And they do that through mentorship and career-focused educational opportunities inside sch...
Dec 06, 2022•38 min•Ep. 139
What better way to support young kids to be happy and healthy students than to encourage them to play. Unfortunately, that’s not the way we operate in the U.S. Instead, we prioritize test scores and sitting quietly and academically-charged preschools. It’s no wonder that our youth are depressed and unhappy. We’re so busy believing the myths about education and children that social media and the media feed us that we aren’t looking at the hard facts. That kids are not meant to sit quietly every d...
Nov 29, 2022•34 min•Ep. 138
Imagine being at a school where 80% of the students look like you…but you’re the only one like you who is in the honors and advanced classes. That’s where this week’s guest, Carlon Howard, found himself as he readied to graduate from high school. And that experience put him on the pathway that landed him as a leader and impact-maker in educational equity. Carlon has a passion for supporting individuals who feel stuck in cultural narratives due to a lack of equity, inclusivity, and diversity in l...
Nov 22, 2022•37 min•Ep. 137
Our youth are amazing people, who are learning and growing every day. Part of that learning includes figuring out what they enjoy doing and what they’re good at. As educators, we get to help them see how their skills and interests can potentially turn into a career. But not enough of us are doing that, and it can be challenging to find a connection when teenagers and young adults adopt new interests and skills regularly. This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, ex...
Nov 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 136
You have to make so many decisions every day as an educator or educational leader. It’s overwhelming and enough to drive you to burnout. Add to that the change that happens seemingly every minute in the classroom or the office. We can’t train on how to manage our brains around the constant disruptions and distractions. But you can change how you plan for and react to them. This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Melina Palmer, a behavioral economist who consults with businesses all over the g...
Nov 08, 2022•47 min
Why do we need to wait for youth to get involved? They’re here now and are highly capable of being a part of the dialogue and decision-making. This week on the podcast, we’re exploring what that looks like in action from an organization that has been in the trenches for a decade. Rachel Belin, managing partner and co-founder of Kentucky Student Voice Team works alongside youth to help create an intergenerational dynamic, where youth members are involved in raising their voices and helping others...
Nov 01, 2022•39 min
Research and experiences allow us to consistently develop new best practices for teaching and learning. What worked last year may not work this year, for a multitude of reasons. And what we thought worked years ago clearly isn’t what’s best for our kids. So we get to shift what we’re doing to ensure we’re giving all our students what they need in order to flourish. (If only all educational decision-makers would get on board!) Jon Bergmann, this week’s podcast guest, is fully on board and leading...
Oct 25, 2022•40 min
Teachers are taught to differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of all students. But what does that even mean? It’s not about lowering standards and expectations so one person’s mastery is different from another’s. Instead it’s about adding more supports for students who need it while keeping targets the same. The only way to do this is to be more intentional about teaching, more learner-centered. We need to talk to our students more and truly listen to the feedback we receive from them...
Oct 18, 2022•35 min
We know the importance of literacy and music and the importance of getting children involved in learning through movement. What if we paired the two together, no matter the age of the students? That’s what Susan Chodakiewitz is doing through Booksicals, creating musicals from picture books for some fully immersed learning. And what she’s discovered as a result is more confidence and more engagement from children of all levels. Educational professionals have long tried to encourage children to bu...
Oct 11, 2022•27 min
Parents have dreams for their kids. Maybe it’s that the child earns that sports scholarship that the parent didn’t get. Or that the child gets into the big four-year college that the parent couldn’t afford. Or that the child excels on the stage that the parent was too afraid to get on. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming of all our children can achieve, except if we’re pushing them into something that is our dream and not their dream or even wishes. There’s a cost associated with pushing our kid...
Oct 04, 2022•27 min
Teachers continue to leave the profession in droves and I don’t see an end in sight. That means larger classes and teachers who don’t always have the expertise they need to support our youth in the way they deserve. This week on the podcast, I’m calling you to action! I’m sharing some of the current events and challenges around our present teacher shortage--how it’s impacting schools and children, why it’s happening, and what we can do to prevent it. It’s time for teachers across the country (an...
Sep 27, 2022•15 min
Everyone should be working to ensure our kids are okay; it’s not the sole responsibility of parents or teachers or mental health professionals. If we want to make sure our kids are ready to be tomorrow’s leaders, making sure our kids are okay needs to be a collective responsibility and priority. This week on the podcast, I’m talking to Jordan Posamentier of the Committee for Children, an organization that helps support youth mental health and wellbeing through policy and advocacy for change. In ...
Sep 20, 2022•31 min
We know that storytelling is a sure way to engage learners and hook them. Students need to want to learn if they’re going to retain the information. And immersing them in stories is a vital tool to humanize experiences, especially now as technology has changed and distanced many aspects of life and learning. Building on technology and immersive learning is creating cutting edge opportunities for learning and engagement. This week on the podcast, we learn from an expert in storytelling and extend...
Sep 13, 2022•46 min
We know the importance of bringing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to children, but sometimes it’s difficult to find connections that make sense to our kids. And, let’s face it, that is easy for teachers to implement. That’s why organizations like Bricks 4 Kidz are so important. This week on the podcast, we’re getting a look behind the scenes to find out what this organization does for teaching and learning and how it can save time and money for teachers across the globe. It’s ...
Sep 06, 2022•27 min
Community schools are a big asset to communities whose schools struggle to meet the needs of all its youth. But it takes time and effort to start to see change. A lot of time and effort. This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Emily Woods, the head of education for the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation and long-time policy advocate. She shares what it really looks like to start and grow an effort to grow a community school and how to get policy makers involved. As a former private school tur...
Aug 30, 2022•31 min
We ask so much of teachers, from customizing learning to being that trusted adult some children don’t have at home to advocating for individual children. And yet we also still ask them to start from square one at the beginning of every school year, gathering data about their students so they can serve them best. The added challenge is that many of our teachers aren’t skilled in digging into data and using it effectively. Why aren’t school districts and states creating resources for our teachers ...
Aug 23, 2022•38 min
Belonging is vital if our kids are to learn. They need to feel understood and safe, and that often starts with teachers. But teachers have a lot on their plates already, and new legislation has them fearful that they’ll do or say something that might jeopardize their jobs. While this podcast episode doesn’t solve this challenge, it spotlights the need for more conversations around creating spaces for youth who don’t want to fit in a box that society created for them. Patti Hearn is a school and ...
Aug 16, 2022•32 min
